Tourist Scams in Bolivia

Some Uyuni tour operators run underfunded or poorly maintained jeep tours across the Salar de Uyuni and surrounding altiplano at elevations above 4,000 metres. Vehicles with mechanical faults, inadequate cold-weather gear for overnight stops, insufficient food and water, and unqualified drivers are documented hazards. Accidents, breakdowns stranding tourists in remote areas, and altitude sickness emergencies without medical support have all been reported.

How to avoid: Research operators thoroughly before booking — read recent reviews on TripAdvisor and travel forums. Choose an established agency with a physical office in Uyuni, a written itinerary, and clearly named vehicle and driver. Avoid the cheapest tours available and verify that cold-weather sleeping gear is included for multi-day trips. Ask specifically about the vehicle's maintenance history.

Individuals in fake uniforms or with counterfeit police ID stop tourists near the Witches' Market and San Francisco church demanding to inspect passports or wallets for "counterfeit bills," pocketing cash during the inspection.

How to avoid: Bolivian law requires fines to be paid at a bank, never on the street. Ask to go to the nearest police station — real officers will agree.

Individuals claiming to represent tour companies approach you at your hotel offering "last-minute tour deals." They collect payment and disappear, or arrange a pickup that never materializes. Some variants involve taking you to a money exchange first, where you lose money on rates before realizing the tour is non-existent.

How to avoid: Book tours only through your hotel concierge or directly from established agencies. Never pay cash to strangers at your hotel entrance. Ask for written confirmation and company contact details before any payment. Verify tour details with your hotel before departure.

Taxi drivers manipulate meters or claim they are broken and demand triple the standard fare. The risk is highest at El Alto airport and near tourist-heavy areas of Sopocachi.

How to avoid: Use Easy Taxi app or radio taxis. Agree on a flat fare in Spanish before departure and confirm it is the total, not per person.

Tourists who hail unmarked taxis, especially at night, risk being driven to ATMs and forced to withdraw cash by the driver and waiting accomplices before being released.

How to avoid: Only use marked radio taxis or app-based rides. Never get into an unregistered vehicle regardless of how official it looks.

Scammers pose as licensed tour companies offering discounted Salt Flat day trips, then use unreliable vehicles, skip advertised stops, and demand extra fees mid-tour for "fuel" or "entry permits."

How to avoid: Book only through operators with a verified physical office and reviews on TripAdvisor. Avoid walk-up deals near the bus terminal.

Individuals posing as plainclothes police officers approach tourists in the Witches' Market (Mercado de las Brujas) on Calle Linares and on nearby Sagárnaga Street, claiming to be investigating counterfeit currency or drug trafficking. They demand to inspect wallets, passports, and bags. Once the wallet is in their hands, cash is palmed or swapped for worthless notes before it is returned. Accomplices may distract the victim during the handover.

How to avoid: Legitimate Bolivian police do not conduct random wallet inspections on the street. If approached, refuse politely and move toward a busy public area or enter a nearby shop. Ask to see a uniformed officer or request that any inspection takes place at an official police station. Never hand over your wallet, passport, or bag to anyone claiming to be plainclothes police.

Unlicensed taxi and minibus drivers wait outside the jeep tour departure area in Uyuni town center during early morning hours when sunrise tours return, typically between 1 AM and 3 AM, and near the Hotel de Sal area on the flats. They offer rides back to town or to the Chilean border at prices that sound reasonable given the cold and exhaustion, but are 4 to 6 times the normal rate. In several reported cases drivers have taken travelers to remote drop-off points far from the town center.

How to avoid: Arrange return transport with your licensed jeep tour operator before departing. If you need a taxi independently, use only vehicles booked through your hotel or the Uyuni town taxi stand on Av. Ferroviaria.